The Infants

July 12th, 2009

I sit in our living room, typing. Faniel (3) jumps screaming off of the table, Gidoni (7) dances and sings while he does so. Balguisa (12) sits at my side, singing a different song to me, asking me to sing back to her. Dorine (8) sits at my other, saying things in Mooré to me. I turn to Balguisa to sing a line back to her. As I start Gidoni starts hitting Faniel, who hits her right back. Soon they are both screaming, then Faniel is crying and running from the room, chanting “Mamamamamamamamama” over and over. He runs from the room.

Meanwhile Dorine has been repeating the same Mooré phrase to me over and over for the last minute. I saw “Laafi” which means good. She and Balguisa laugh. I have found that “Laafi” serves as a good answer in most situations with Mooré, as the first few minutes are an extended greeting. In which both parties are required to inquire about each other’s health, family, and day. Apparently it isn’t the best answer for anything an eight year old may ask.

Faniel has returned, and is now attempting to uncross my legs. I let him succeed the first time, which he finds hilarious. I cross them again and he again tries to uncross them with less and less success. Eventually I pull my leg from his grasp. “Mamamamamamamamama” he goes crying from the room.
Meanwhile as I try to type Gidoni starts asking me questions about my computer reaching out to touch the screen. I tell her not to touch it. She does anyway. Sigh. Another smudge is now on my screen. Faniel has returned, his fake crying stopped as neither his mom or his dad is home to give me attention. So instead he runs up and hits Gidoni, trying to displace her from her perch next to my computer. This, of course, is met with violence from her, which starts Faniel’s Mamamamama motor going again.

Meanwhile Dorine has managed to steal both my ear buds from me, which had served as my only sanctuary from the wall of noise produced by their squabbles. As Balguisa tries to steal one from her, I take both back for myself and let music save me.

Living with kids is interesting. It has usually been a good experience, but when I am home alone with them sometimes things get a little out of hand. I’m glad I will only be doing this for another month or so.